Immutable
by Domagonic
Summary: Those with great power are expected to become either heroes or villains. Choosing sides so late in the game would go against self preservation. I was suppose to be above the concept of heroes and villains. I truly believed I could be neutral forever. However, things got complicated after an orange gemstone fell from the sky and I picked it up. Everything changed after that.
1. Chapter 1

**AN:** Welcome to my story, this will be an AU retelling of the My Hero Academia story. This will probably be another big project and I'm not making any promises about frequency of updates. Also you are forewarned that this is a Shounen+Seinen mix. Format is subject to change and errors are likely to be found in my work. If you have any questions or concerns feel free to contact me directly, privately or leave a review and I'll be right with you. Its been a long time since I've written anything. I don't own My Hero Academia all rights belong to Kohei Horikoshi.

* * *

 **x**

* * *

 **Part 1: The Quirk That Changes Everything**

 **[Interface]**

* * *

 _ **Quirks are separated into five separate tiers determined by their capabilities. Transient Class Quirks are what most the population have, abilities incapable of doing much of anything useful. Typically, either changing the appearance of a person or giving them a mundane ability such being able to remove the eyes.**_

* * *

In this world of heroes and villains there exists... a precarious balance of power. No matter what heroes say or how they act, the villains haven't gone anywhere. It's rarely ever mentioned on television or on the radio these days. More than likely because it reminds people that the brighter that heroes shine, the more defined the shadows that villains inhabit shall be. It inspires a fear in their hearts that cannot be shaken loose.

A simple misstep would be all that it would take to warp the arc of all our stories. While that may be true, fear was the last thing on my mind, there were far too many mysteries that remained unraveled to die now. Part of the thrill was this unwavering uncertainty in a world ready to flip at a moment's notice. The heroes bathed in sunlight and villains who were cloaked in darkness.

In a world filled to the brim with people with supernatural abilities, wouldn't it be great to live life as though it were all a game? If you asked me such a question, I'd have to agree with you wholeheartedly. The day my Quirk manifested was the day that my eyes were opened to the bitterest of truths. In this world, all men are not born equal. Some people are just born with greater power than others, and I was one of them.

 **[00:00:00:36]**

The indicator was flashed urgently before my face as I sprinted down the sidewalk. Letting me know that time was nearly up on my current quest. I click my teeth, just a bit haughty with arrogance. I stop just short the opposite street and couch down low to the ground for a moment. The ground shakes and my body glows a vibrant green for a moment before I fly high up into the air.

After the extended leap into the sky I touch down on top of a building across from Tatooin Station. I skid to a halt at the edge of the roof, finally getting eyes on the villain in question. He chooses that moment to roar into the air in an act defiance. All he had to his name was a run-of-the-mill gigantification Quirk but it was impressive all the same. I run my hands through my messy hair with a wide grin.

"Level 36 huh. I'm so jealous."

 **Name:** Izuku Midoriya

 **Age:** 14

 **Sex:** Male

 **Title:** /-/The Gamer/-/

 **Occupation:** /^/Highschool Student/^/

 **Class:** [?[?]?]

 **Level:** 26

 **Strength:** 23

 **Vitality:** 18

 **Dexterity:** 35

 **Intelligence:** 29

 **Wisdom:** 19

 **Luck:** 22

 **Quirk Classification:** Composite

 **Quirk:** Interface – A Quirk of pure energy generation that links both mind and body together. It can instantaneously generate new offensive and defensive abilities as the situation demands! It also allows the user to analyze, simplify and quantify the world around them at will, nearly all the time. The pinnacle of evolution Quirks. The only problem is it can't be deactivated for very long.

 **Status:** [Normal]

 **Emotions:** Envy. Apathy. Impulsivity.

 **Profile:** A young man with an obsession with acquiring experience of all kinds, without exception. With a mental state eroded by his constantly activated Quirk and twisted sense of morality he answers only to himself.

I reach into my inventory and pull out of a pair of binoculars. My shoes scrap against the asphalt roof as I take a load off with a sigh. I then lazily dangle my legs off the side of the building. My cellphone buzzes in my pocket just as the show was about to start. I kick back to relax and pull the phone out of my pocket. The screen is pitch black for a moment before a sequence of words flash across the screen in green.

 **[Quest Completed]**

The crowd of onlookers below murmur in excitement as the first pro hero arrives on the scene. Kamui Woods wastes no time climbing to the top of the railway and fluidly dodges the villain's attacks. He lands and swiftly climbs up the offending limb and ends his aerial acrobatics with front somersault. At the end of his jump he latches onto the back of the villain's neck.

"You are under arrest for assault, robbery and illegal use of your powers during rush hour traffic. Any further resistance will be met with swift punishment!"

 **Name:** Shinji Nishiya **[Kamui Woods]**

 **Age:** 29

 **Sex:** Male

 **Title:** /-/The Wood Hero/-/

 **Occupation:** /^/Professional Hero/^/

 **Class:** Epic

 **Level:** 72

 **Strength:** 16

 **Vitality:** 25

 **Dexterity:** 36

 **Intelligence:** 14

 **Wisdom:** 10

 **Luck:** 6

 **Quirk Classification:** Emitter

 **Quirk:** Lumber – Allows the user to spontaneously generate wood from their body and control already existing wood. Can easily be used for both offense and defense respectively. It is ineffective against fire and explosion-based attacks.

 **Status:** [Agitated]

 **Emotions:** Anger. Certainty. Cautious.

 **Profile:** Despite only recently becoming a full-fledged pro he's been in the hero business quite a while! His career has only really just begun with the completion of his own agency!

The villain ignores his warning and reaches back to get a hold of him anyway. Kamui narrows his eyes leaps straight up into the air above the villain and juts out his right arm. Several different branches extend from it as he prepared the flashiest move in his arsenal. The villain immediately shields his eyes and takes a step back before it even began.

"Preemptive Binding Lacquer Chain Prison!"

The branches from his arm extend out at a blinding speed and entrap the villain in mere seconds. The crowd roars in excitement as Kamui takes the villain into custody without breaking a sweat. It really was impressive, I think I enjoy his particular fighting style.

I replace the binoculars in my inventory with a sigh as my phone buzzes again. I sneer at the screen, having easily forgotten I needed to be at school within the hour. How time always seemed to fly. With the situation resolved and the experience collected, there was no reason to stick around. I take the straight drop down from the building and approach the rear the crowd for a quick picture.

Police and reporters alike surround Kamui for pictures and he waves in a reserved manner. Among all the flashes and shutters he notices one of the people take pictures isn't like the others. Before he can get a good look they seemed to disappear before his eyes.

* * *

 **Part 2: United Front**

 **[An alliance of groups against their common enemies...]**

* * *

I shuffle into class right on time as always, brushing past students I've been with for three years now. Their names and faces didn't matter to me, but not much did anymore. The sounds of their voices and laughter, so carefree was grating to my ears.

Their voices finally soften to silence as our teacher clears his throat.

"So, as third year students it's time to start thinking seriously about your futures and what you want to do with your lives. I could pass out some career aptitude tests but, why bother?"

He shrugs as if the alternative was obvious and every student began flashing their Quirks. I wonder what went on inside his head, I really did.

At first glance he was an insufferable man with hopes too high for his own good. But it was a façade to cover up his own irrational glee. Every person in our class had a Quirk, but almost all of them were useless. None of them would ever be serious heroes and he knew it. He knew it very well.

The class quiets down yet again as another student lounging in his seat speaks up. His ashen hair shifts ever so slightly as if nothing was more assured than his own words.

"Sensei, don't put me into the same category as these rejects. We're as far apart as the heavens and the earth. Most will be lucky to be a sidekick to some nobody."

 **Name:** Katsuki Bakugo

 **Age:** 14

 **Sex:** Male

 **Title:** /-/Abrasive Soul/-/

 **Occupation:** /^/Highschool student/^/

 **Class:** Mythical

 **Level:** 35

 **Strength:** 12

 **Vitality:** 26

 **Dexterity:** 14

 **Intelligence:** 31

 **Wisdom:** 11

 **Luck:** 9

 **Quirk Classification:** Emitter

 **Quirk:** Explosion – Allows the user to secrete a nitroglycerin like substance from their palms and ignite it create various explosions. The user has a threshold of resistance to the shockwaves produced by their explosions but not the explosions themselves. The Quirk is weakened and vulnerable in cold temperatures. On the flipside, it works much more effectively in warmer temperatures.

 **Status:** [Normal]

 **Emotions:** Passion. Confidence. Satisfaction.

 **Profile:** A perfect example of two very specific Quirks combining to form a powerful new offensive one. It was either luck or fate that Katsuki was born with the Quirk he has, up to the observer to decide.

Not that he wasn't correct, in fact he it could be mistaken as trying to show them reality as it was. In the past before our Quirks had manifested it wouldn't have been inappropriate to have called us friends. From the moment ours Quirks appeared we had silently agreed that our destinies had simply diverged. We would walk very different paths in life. As arguments break out over his inflammatory remark I lower my head to my desk, tuning them out to background noise.

Every day without fail I receive a quest to make it to school on time. The quest content never mattered to me, what mattered was the experience. So, most days I transfer to the subway and head here like I'm supposed to.

Like I'm supposed to...

What a joke...

* * *

The rather distinct noisy din of the city is disturbed as an explosion blows out a storefront. An unarmed security guard follows the blast, slamming up against a concrete wall before slumping over. The villain that emerges from the now burning credit union grunts in irritation, two duffel bags slung over his shoulders. Despite his clothes his entire body seemed to be composed of a green viscous fluid.

"Wannabe heroes are such a pain."

In the distance, he could already hear police sirens racing in his direction. People on the street stunned by the explosion take on look at him and turn tail and run. He saunters further towards the street another security guard rushes him from behind, baton in hand. The villain doesn't even turn to face him and merely backhands him. The force of the blow sends the security guard skidding down the sidewalk.

He stops at the curb of the street and a car screeches to a halt just in front of him. All the doors open at once accept for the drivers, who instead rolls the window down. The villain tosses the duffle bags onto the ground at the criminals who left the vehicle shove them into the car. The driver who wore a high collared sweater and black shades hands the villain a brown bag.

"You always make a mess Lahar. You know that makes it hard on the cleaners."

Lahar takes the bag without question, smirking but amused by their comment. His left hand now freed up changes shape to that of an arrow which he points at the burning building.

"I may play with my food a bit, but I always deliver, don't I?"

The driver completely ignores his boasting and gestures to the burning building with their head.

"Did you find anything?"

Lahar nods and turns away from the car before stretching his free limb back into the building and dragging a metallic crate out. The driver of the car lifts her shades for a moment, revealing magenta eyes for a moment before lowering them.

"Only thing in the building I couldn't open. The locking mechanism is attached to a retina scanner."

"Alright, hand it over and get "lost" quickly."

Lahar laughs to himself as he helps load the metal crate into the back of the car. A police car rounds the corner as he closes the hatch on the vehicle. Several more follow close behind it and the driver puts pedal to the medal seconds after.

The police leave their cars and suddenly dozens of weapons are trained on him. As the car that assisted the crime rounds the bend he turns to face the authorities.

"Hands in the air and lay on the ground villain!"

Lahar slowly raises his hands above his head as ordered. The police officer speaking slowly lowers the megaphone as the villain seemed to grow much larger and less humanoid. His smile becoming even more twisted than before. The police officers begin shaking with fear as he drawn into the depths of his red eyes.

"God's help us..."

* * *

 **Part 3: Achievements**

 **[Arbitrary challenges used to extend a games longevity...]**

* * *

By the time school was over at least half my brain had turned to mush. There was simply very little any teacher at this school could teach me about anything. I had a knack for absorbing all the information laid before me. I grab the sides of my desk and stand with a sigh intending to depart from school right this very moment.

"Izuku."

I straighten my spine all the way at the sound of my own name. I slip my phone back into my pocket and sling my bag over my shoulder before turning to look at him.

"What's up Bakugo?"

"It's Katsuki, don't act like were strangers."

"Acquaintances at best."

Katsuki was quickly becoming annoyed, his presence spreading throughout the room. Even his weaker cronies were beginning to feel afraid. He narrows his eyes but makes no explicit movements, standing before the only one in the room who didn't fear him at all. The only worthy one in his eyes.

"I want to talk."

"I have things to do, places to be, people to see. You understand, right?"

I brush past him without breaking tone, heading towards the door to the classroom. I get several steps before he turns to face my back once again, his presence growing larger.

"Then I'm coming to."

Our classmates, his cronies take the opportunity to speak their minds. Unlike Bakugo I never made it my prerogative to explain my Quirk to anyone at all. So I was just another student with a Quirk who didn't feel like showing off. Who needed fans and admiration anyway?

"Come on man, he's not interested... if he's too good for you then he's not worth anything anyway."

I pause at the threshold of the doorway and turn my shoulders ever so slightly. Looking back at the boy who had spoken, my time limit was already expired. My Quirk reactivates and my eyes glow a ghastly green. My cold gaze causes him to freeze in fear, I had no need of words to threaten others around me.

"You can tag along if you want, free country."

* * *

Katsuki exceeded what I believed to be his personal limits. Following closely behind me as we traversed the rooftops of our city. I stop on the edge of the next building overlooking a busy intersection. Katsuki times his next explosion to stop just behind me. I reach into my inventory and pull out my binoculars.

"What the hell are we even doing, Izuku?"

"Achievement hunting of course."

Katsuki who had also been looking towards the street stops at my odd answer. His trademark grimacing face becomes twisted in confusion and he clenches his fist.

"What the fuck does that even mean? You talking about some videogame? _This_ isn't some game."

"Life is a game. The difficulty is set to extreme and the settings are locked. The only option is to adapt."

He takes a deep breath, believe me to be speaking figuratively instead of literally. The funny part was I wasn't kidding, my setting had a gameplay tag and the difficulty rating was extreme and unchangeable. At least for now, I wouldn't give up hope just yet. There had to be further parameters just out of reach.

"So what are you hoping to see?"

"Rare mutant Quirks. I'd like to see some up close and get a couple pictures."

Without even turning to look at him I could tell he was giving me a weird look. Whether he was embarrassed or judging mean meant very little to me at this moment in time. I was on a mission.

"Most mutant Quirks are harmless and serve no other purpose than changing appearance. Some people might rudely call such Quirks fetish bait, and they are only half right."

"Wait you don't mean...? Midoriya!"

He reaches out to stop me as I drop down to the sidewalk below. I ignore his voice and replace the binoculars and replace them with my most expensive camera. I flow with the crowd quite easily with Katsuki desperately on my tail.

Katsuki is in such a rush that he collides with me after I'd already come to a stop. The strap around my neck holding the camera bouncing against my chest lightly. It was embarrassment on his part. Until moments ago he hadn't known it would end up like this.

The girl I stopped in front of looked surprised but not fearful considering my harmless appearance. Her pointed ears and delicate strands of white hair gave away her rare elven Quirk. There was an undeniable beauty about her, but mutant Quirks like these guaranteed such physical attributes. Looks that wouldn't fade with age made her "special".

 **Name:** Minazuki Minamoto

 **Age:** 22

 **Sex:** Female

 **Title:** /-/Denizen/-/

 **Occupation:** /^/Cosmetics Sales Representative/^/

 **Class:** Transient

 **Level:** 4

 **Strength:** 1

 **Vitality:** 3

 **Dexterity:** 2

 **Intelligence:** 20

 **Wisdom:** 8

 **Luck:** 16

 **Quirk Classification:** Mutant

 **Quirk:** Elf – Changes the appearance of the person dramatically with much lighter skin and elongated ears. Their lifespan is also extended beyond the normal human threshold.

 **Status:** [Normal]

 **Emotions:** Excitement. Nervousness. Satisfied.

"Hi there, my names Izuku Midoriya and this is my fried Katsuki Bakugo. He saw your Quirk from afar and thought you looked beautiful. After getting closer I must agree. I wanted to ask if you would you mind if I took your picture?"

Katsuki behind me was deathly silent, his face growing redder the longer this went on. He didn't even have the resources to spew profanity or defend himself. In fact, it looked like his embarrassment was ensuring this would go correctly. I would exploit his presence to the max.

"Well thank you... Midoriya and Bakugo? I appreciate the compliment; you can take my picture if you like!"

I flash her a wide smile and bring the camera up to eye level. I adjust the shutter and snap off a few pictures. Up above my head I get a notification which becomes a grand display.

* * *

 **[Achievement: Elven Guard]**

* * *

"We do appreciate this miss, please have a prosperous day."

I bow to show my thanks and pat Katsuki lightly, his face smoldering. As she moves to go about her way we pass in the opposite direction. I was ignoring Katsuki at this moment, counting the experience I was getting for the achievement.

We ended up walking a block before I turned to look back at the tagalong. I was stupefied by his expression for several moments before bursting out into laughter.

" _Kacchan_ your face is so red, wait, was she your _type_? I had no idea know you even had a type! You should have said something; you're going to be famous someday after all... right?"

* * *

 **Part 4: (No) Desire?**

* * *

We left the inner-city not long after that with another achievement completed. Katsuki had been brooding the whole way, something that was almost out of character for him. I was waiting on his fiery outburst to finally manifest itself.

"Izuku, help me understand, how... how did you..."

I stop just outside the tunnel and turn back to him with an inquiring grunt. He also stops, the scowl returning to his face as if it been a long time coming.

"Stop and think logically Katsuki. I only needed one thing from that girl and it was neither her conversation nor her number. I only needed her photograph, to complete that task I used all my accumulated resources effectively. Both my plain face and short stature make approaching a piece of cake. A compliment from me means jack shit but this time I had you there and you weren't _scowling_. The fact that you didn't speak also helped quite a bit, implying that the picture was for you and not me. See where I'm going with this?"

"So you're saying that the pleasantness and lack of resistance was for me? Whatever, that doesn't even matter to me. You do care about some things and have a powerful Quirk to boot. So why aren't you interested in being a hero?"

Katsuki looked like he expected me to respond with anger, but quite frankly there was nothing to get angry about with a valid question. It had a simple answer.

"Don't you know, Bakugo, in this world it's dangerous to pick a side."

"You're a smart kid, that brain must be chock-full of knowledge, isn't it? Let's talk politics kid. I want your humble opinion about something."

* * *

 **[Warning! Danger Detected]**

 **[An Ominous Threat Has Been Detected]**

* * *

It took a moment to register that something had tripped my danger detection. I look over my shoulder slowly as a literal tower of green fluid loomed over me, it even had a face. My eye twitches at how fast it must have approached to be this close already. The villain is on me in the next moment, encasing my body completely. Katsuki was a fraction of a second to slow, his explosion striking the villain.

"Izuku!"

"You're in the way. Get lost."

A hand shaped protrusion of fluid connects with Katsuki's stomach before he can even blink, sending him careening back down the street. Now that I was inside the villain, I forced my eyes open. Already planning how this fight would need to proceed to live. First I needed his stats to see if winning was even possible.

 **Name:** Mukuro Sakakibara **[Lahar]**

 **Age:** 27

 **Sex:** Male

 **Title:** /-/Faucet of Deception/-/

 **Occupation:** /^/Villain/^/

 **Class:** Mythical

 **Level:** 64

 **Strength:** 34

 **Vitality:** 56

 **Dexterity:** 20

 **Intelligence:** 16

 **Wisdom:** 11

 **Luck:** 14

 **Quirk Classification:** Emitter

 **Quirk:** Liquefaction – The user can give solid matter liquid properties by making physical contact with all five fingers. If the same process is done a second time, the liquefied matter will be returned to its solid state. When this Quirk is used on his own body he can become living fluid material and maintain his secret identity at the same time. It can also be used to take over the body of another person and use their Quirk or even assume their identity. The fluid form is immune to physical and elemental attacks beyond a certain threshold.

 **Status:** [Impervious]

 **Emotions:** Greed. Excitement.

 **Profile:** A member of the League of Villains specifically in the Deus Ex Machina faction. He possesses a rather unique Quirk that makes him a perfect soldier to fight heroes.

Another box appears on my right, a new quest just for this occasion.

* * *

 **Team up with Katsuki Bakugo and defeat the villain!**

 **Success: Life**

 **Failure: Death**

* * *

 _Accept! ... Dammit why won't the skill activate?_

* * *

 **[Repugnant Touch]**

Activates when in physical contact with someone or something intending to cause physical or mental harm. Delivers an electrical shock to the one touching determined by just how much they intended to harm you. Regardless the intensity will increase over time if the contact remains.

* * *

Well it didn't matter because it would automatically activate in a moment if I didn't get any air. As if a switch had been switched, an arc of electricity spreads across my body as my lungs screamed for air. Lahar chuckles, amused by the rather mundane energy attack. His elemental resistance suddenly begins to fail as the energy ratchets up, causing his eyes to widen.

"The hell!?"

The electricity pours from my body feverishly now, arc to the surrounding tunnel and bypassing his elemental immunity. He lets me go in the next instant and I gasp in a mouthful of air. None of the attacks we had initiated had done more than one damage to this monster of a villain but that was all about to change now. I immediately lower myself to the ground, wheezing but defiantly eyeing the villain who tracks my movements.

"Kacchan, try it again."

* * *

 **[Transference]**

Take a 30% hit to overall stats and give double that power to another person for a limited time! After a short moment, the two powers will combine rather explosively! Useful for misdirection and a major tactical advantage.

* * *

Katsuki leaps over my nearly prone form, his entire body glowing a familiar eerie green. Lahar has no time to react as his second opponent easily breaches his defenses. With his left hand, he grabs the back of my shirt and pulls me out of harm's way while his right sparks dangerously. Ours power mixes shortly as he swings into the villain.

"Die, sewage fuck!"

The explosion blows back the villain and completely fills the tunnel. Smoke and debris fill the air and Katsuki looks at his smoking hand in awe. I study the damage done with calculating eyes, the skill and our combined power was marvelous.

 _This power... no... Izuku's power... it's amazing._

It's good but just not good enough. Even with the overall stat increase, Katsuki is just barely clipping the threshold of his elemental immunity. He could break the fluids bonds but failed to do much damage. I hadn't done enough testing with this skill to be assured of anything. I don't think it would be enough for us to win.

An elongate arm darts out from the cloud and grips Katsuki by the wrist. He remains calm despite the situation, blowing the limb apart with his enhanced explosions.

"Hah! I can barely feel it kid, how long can you keep that up?"

 _All right then, Dialogue Mode._

It was another faucet of my Quirk built around conversation. It presents you with different options to say and could reveal information even I didn't know beforehand.

 _|-|We surrender! Just don't kill us|-|_

 _|-|Is this all the power you have, having trouble with middle school students?|-|_

 _|-|It's true we aren't strong enough to defeat you, but it will take too long to ensnare up both. He will catch up to you long before then.|-|_

The third option seemed best, revealing a tidbit I had no knowledge of. This villain was escaping the clutches of someone and had stopped here to try capturing us. There was a chance he would stop if he was reminded of this. It was our only hope really.

"It's true we aren't strong enough to defeat you, but it will take too long to ensnare us both. He will catch up to you long before then."

Lahar does pause after hearing me say the word "him", his eyes widening in fear. I allow a smirk to drop onto my face as I continue with the bluff. His eyes dart back and forth nervously.

"That guy will most certainly take you into custody."

Lahar smirks nervously as his amorphous body begins to reform into a human shape. Katsuki grits his teeth in fear as the Villain passes by us ending the fight prematurely. All the bloodlust from moments before evaporated and the adrenaline coursing through my veins quickly waned.

"You're right kid, today is your lucky day isn't it?"

Katsuki shivers as the villain strolls by us without a second glance. We stood in place like stone statues until the sounds of his footsteps could no longer be heard at all.

* * *

 **Part 5: The End of the Beginning**

* * *

As we scurried away from the dark tunnel I had the distinct feeling that something else was supposed to happen. I had cleared the quest and kept my life and experience for outwitting the villain. I guess that's all that matters really.

Both heroes and villains were much too troublesome for their own good. They could both end up being a nuisance in my long-term plans.

* * *

Lahar finally stopped in a rather damp alley, snaking a single eye around the corner wearily. With no heroes in sight he places his palm flat against his chest and reverses the effects of his Quirk on his own body. The viscous green fluid quickly turns back to flesh and he roughly coughs into his hand.

"Shit, I had no idea he was even in the city. To think I would be running away so fearfully from a hero. I almost completely ran out of stamina... at that point returning would be impossible. I would have died... damn you All Might."

Despite coming so far already he collapses onto his knees and wheezes. The dark alley begins to swim in and out of focus until he falls face first into a grimy puddle. After a few moments, he finally becomes silent, unconscious.

The alleyway is silent for a several moments until a man appears at the mouth. He calmly walks forward until he was beside the unconscious villain. The man partially lifts the black blindfold from his closed eyes for a moment. The world becomes a sea of blue and pulse emanates from his body.

"Sakakibara. It seems you did not perish. Although it is obvious you did not do it unscathed. I will bring you home now."

He stoops down onto one knee and picks up the wrist of Lahar. After confirming his erratic pulse, he lifts the villain onto his back easily and starts walking away.

* * *

Lahar is pulled from his slumber to find himself in a tattered hospital bed. The sound that woke up comes from a propped-up tablet lit up from a live video. Despite his weary condition he smiles gleefully.

In locations all over the city villains paused what they were doing as their leader broadcasted to them live. To cellphones, to tablets and computers of all those invited to listen.

"Attention all who hear my voice, this is your leader Deus Ex Machina. I want to begin with an apology for many were injured complying with orders I gave. I rally now because your combined efforts have finally borne fruit. This day... we have won."

He pauses and all those listening waited with bated breath.

"We now have this hero society at checkmate. A device was recovered that been shuffling from corporation to corporation. Now that is in our hands... when next _it_ falls, we shall be there to catch it in our hands. In thirty days give our take we will be cooperating with other sects to retrieve it."

A new number flashes across the screen for all those looking to see.

 **[30:17:25:24]**

"Synchronize your watches and timers because this is our timeline my children, we've worked too hard to have this operation fail. When that timer hits zero have your game faces ready. At this point any mistakes could ultimately mean death or worse."

* * *

 **Notes** ~ To be clear here at the end I am introducing an original character who happens to be a villain. He's going to be important later on. He's apart of a list of Seinen level original character villains I'm adding to this world.

There many more hidden stats that Izuku can see that I didn't squeeze into this chapter and I'll explain them now for convenience. Each of the categories below will be assigned a point value from 0-100, 0 being the worst and 100 being the highest. Some of these stats can be raised using special items he receives from special quests while some can only change based on situation or personality. Those below are Izuku's own stats.

[Power: 33]~~~~[Speech: 98]~~~~[Honesty: 23]

[Speed: 82]~~~~[Charm: 40]~~~~[Wealth :31]

[Endurance: 50]~~~~[Insight: 88]~~~~[Kindness: 50]

[Stealth: 99]~~~~[Tenacity: 53]~~~~[Empathy: 8]

[Flexibility: 58]~~~~[Appearance: 47]~~~~[Dissatisfaction: 50]

Dialogue Mode isn't very complicated either, the choices are determined by two factors. The first is the level of your speech which Izuku happens to have nearly maxed out. The second factor is something called "affinity". It is a synopsis of someone's current personal relationship with Izuku. There are negative and positive "affinity" points ranging from -100 - 0 - 100. The initial impression someone has of Izuku + their interactions determines the score. For example, Katsuki Bakugo has a -5 negative affinity and a +20 positive affinity for Izuku. A 0-0 score means they have no impression while -50 - +5 means they think rather poorly of you.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN:** Hello again, it has been an excruciatingly long time hasn't it? If I'm being totally honest I've been lacking in motivation and morale for quite some time. It's nobodies fault the chapter just never quite came together like I hoped among other things. Well, moving away from all that allow me to make an addendum to some events of chapter 1. Izuku originally faced abnormal Quirk development times, this is no longer the case. It was done with the intention of allowing him to empathize with Quirkless individuals later on. I decided I don't think that quite fits with his character in this story. The other major change is the reason for rotted friendship between Bakugo and Izuku. I placed all the blame on Bakugo initially, but its more in line that the two diverged mutually. I have made corrections to chapter 1 to reflect these changes. That is all. On with the story. As always if you have any questions or concerns feel free to contact me directly, privately or leave a review and I'll be right with you. I don't own My Hero Academia all rights belong to Kohei Horikoshi.

* * *

 **x**

* * *

 **Part 1: Welcome to Musutafu City**

* * *

 _ **Quirks are separated into five tiers determined by their capabilities. Epic Class Quirks are the next step up the ladder. They can do some pretty serious damage and paired with a little bit of ingenuity can even stack up to the next level. Typically include Quirks that begin very weak and have some but not great potential for growth.**_

* * *

A bus driver pulls his bus into a designated stop area and opens the doors without giving it a second thought as per his usual routine. As the waiting patrons climb aboard the bus the driver is shaken from his lethargic state as the final one pulls a pistol on him. The criminal pulls the hammer back on the pistol ominously as she takes the final step up.

"Listen closely. Keep both hands on the wheel and stick to this buses route. No more passengers... and if I think you're moving suspiciously I might..."

She almost jokingly holds the pistol to her head and fake pulls the trigger. The bus driver nods obediently and closes the doors behind her before pulling off. The passengers on the bus quickly catch sight of the firearm and several cellphones are almost immediately dialing for help. She reaches up and throws off her beanie to reveal straight pink hair.

She then slams her palm against the metal side of the bus and her hair assumes a nearly impossible shape. Electricity seemed to dance upon her exposed skin which quickly courses along the metal surfaces of the bus. All the active phones on the bus immediately lose their signal and short circuit. Smoke rising from them as they become nothing more than unless heaps of junk.

"Now that were all on the same page I can get down to business. I'm looking for Hitoshi Sakiyurai. If you reveal yourself now I promise you won't be harmed."

All that was heard through the crowded bus was an oppressive silence. It was worth a shot of course, but it was irritating to the female villain nonetheless. The villain laughs violently before pulling out what looks to be an old cellphone. In her other she casually twirls the pistol. She clicks a button on the side of the old camera and it opens horizontally.

"You must think you're safe this time because of your Quirk. But my master has already devised a way around it. You should have come out when I gave you the chance because now... I'll definitely kill you."

Near the back of the boss, a bead of sweat travels down the neck of an older women. Her eyes dart back and forth, searching for a way out of this bad situation. She grits her teeth in fear the criminal grabs a woman in the front seat by the chin. She holds the older looking cellphone up to her retina and it seems to scan the pupil.

"Retina analysis confirms a 00000.1% match. Not her. Not yet..."

* * *

The temperature today was good, aligned perfectly with my distinct preferences. I pause in the middle of the crowded sidewalk and look across the street. I could see a street vendor in a truck selling ice cream. I check the time on my phone and my stomach rumbles a moment later. I lay my palm over my stomach with a frown, the sugary treat would do for now.

I check the street the street for cars and slide my hands into my pockets as I cross. There was already decently sized line of people craving their own sugary fix. I settle in the very end of the line and pull my smart phone out again. Not long after the end of the line became the middle-ish of the line.

In my eyes the world couldn't be any clearer than it already was. Why people did the things they did wasn't some grand mystery. To me at least, heroes and villains were two sides of the same coin. Money... fame... pleasure... obligation... and even destiny.

It's not long before I'm at the front of the line and the shop vendor is looking at me nearly impatiently. I slide my smart phone into my breast pocket and point towards the six on his colorful menu. It was the obvious choice for a warm day like this.

"Cookies and cream. Just a scoop."

The vendor in the truck nods absentmindedly and turns away to procure my order. I sniff the air absentmindedly as I wait for the man to return, sensing nothing out of the ordinary even when I extended my senses.

"That'll be 670¥ buddy."

I fish into my pockets for my wallet before stopping in my tracks. I turn my gaze back towards his with a disturbing intensity in my eyes. On a single sale of scooped ice cream, it wouldn't matter very much if you charged an extra one hundred yen. But over say one hundred sales...

"670¥ for a single scoop of ice cream, that's ridiculous. What an overpriced sugar based dairy product. The most anyone should ever pay is 460¥... which means you're intentionally scamming your innocent customers."

The vendor furrows his brow and I give him wicked grin in response. A small bead of sweat travels down his neck as other people waiting in line begin listening to our conversation. He grits his teeth in anger at my malicious expression before taking a deep breath. He calms down remarkably quickly and clicks his teeth in annoyance.

"Fine, you win jackass just keep your voice down!"

I allow my face to return to its expressionless default as he hands me my ice cream. I lay the yen on the table and casually stroll off, enjoying my ice cream. Justice didn't really factor into any of my decisions, it was purely business. I wasn't that great a person, so such thoughts swam in my mind.

I only make it a few steps before my phone buzzes in my breast pocket. The light was bright enough to partially shine through the fabric of my shirt. Before I can even make the effort to grab the phone a bus hurdles down the street, past a group waiting for it.

I take a bite into my scoop and pull my phone out while staring at the bus. A new quest had appeared before me of the vigilante variety. The experience was shit though in comparison to the danger it represented. I take a closer look with a frown.

* * *

 **Bus jacking in progress, but something else sinister is going on below the surface. Heroes won't arrive in time. Looks like a job for a vigilante!**

 **Reward: Mysterious Manifest + increased hostility with villains**

 **Failure: Decreased hostility with villains**

* * *

 _A mysterious manifest?_

Like a document of some kind? The fact that it was described as "mysterious" did have me curious about its contents. With my free hand and my mouth, I tug on my right glove. I switch the ice cream to the glove right hand and repeat the process.

A crowd of curious onlookers was already beginning to form where the bus had sped through the intersection. With no eyes in my direction I use my inventory to switch my outfit entirely. Grey denim and an oversized hoody clashed with my red gloves. I pull the hood over my green hair and down my face.

"Map."

My eyes glow a vibrant green and a map of Musutafu city appears before me. The current location of the moving bus is marked in a dull orange. The scenario here was rather simple. If the bus didn't appear to be deviating from its set route and wasn't making any stops then I could easily catch up.

I start jogging in the general direction of the bus, cracking the joints in my fingers. I then reach into my inventory and pull out a skateboard as my method of transportation. My lips unconsciously curl into a rather sinister smile, there wasn't another way to describe it.

"Quest start."

* * *

 **Part 2: Vigilantism**

 **[Law enforcement undertaken without legal authority by a self-appointed group of people/individual]**

* * *

I hurdle down the sidewalk at an ever-increasing speed atop my skateboard. I skillfully bobbed and weaved through the crowded sidewalks, maintaining my speed. A quick glance at the map told me that I would only get one or two tries max to board the hijacked bus.

I take my eyes off the map and start dialing a number into my cellphone. Whoever was responsible for the bus jacking was beyond my current capabilities. So I needed to time my intervention just a few minutes before heroes arrived on the scene.

"Hello is this the police? I believe a bus jacking is in progress. Yes... I believe the bus is sticking closely to its route. Please have heroes dispatched as soon as possible."

I snap the emergency flip phone shot and immediately toss it back into my inventory. I wordlessly pull the map back up, with one eye keeping track of the sidewalk and the other following the path of the bus. In another few blocks our path would cross, preferably I would gain access on my first attempt.

I race past another block, my eyes darting back and forth between the map and the streets. Just as the map predicted the bus in question hurtles past my vision and I make a quick snap decision. I reach out with my left hand, catching the corner of a building into order to violently change streets without losing much speed. As my foot makes contact with the concrete I leave a visible crater in order to increase that speed even further.

The distance between the bus and I was slowly shrinking now. This street was far more crowded and maneuvers were much riskier here. The villain still hadn't noticed my pursuit either, but that was about to change. I push my sleeve up to my elbow and aim my right hand for the back of the bus, away from the windows.

The smart tech attached my wrist was something I bought specifically for situations like these, when things weren't in reach. A grappling hook shot out of the end and pierced the metal on the bus easily. The villain on the bus pauses her search in surprise releasing her hold on a passenger. She stares out the back of the buses window with an angry expression.

 _Too quick a response for heroes. A vigilante then? Either way, I need to deal with him quickly._

Now that I was physically connected with the speeding bus I no longer needed to propel myself forward. The next time I looked back up towards the villain she was staring back at me with a frightening intensity. My eyes glow and her life story and stats are revealed in an instant. Fighting her up in any manner was out of the question.

 **Name:** Reiko Aihara **[Tempo]**

 **Age:** 26

 **Sex:** Female

 **Title:** /-/Speed Spirit/-/

 **Occupation:** /^/Villain/^/

 **Class:** Epic

 **Level:** 57

 **Strength:** 17

 **Vitality:** 12

 **Dexterity:** 47

 **Intelligence:** 15

 **Wisdom:** 23

 **Luck:** 4

 **Quirk Classification:** Emitter

 **Quirk:** Velocity – Allows the user to move at incredibly fast speeds with little to no build up. Even if they are small of stature they can produce insane amounts of force. Static electricity is generated as a byproduct in excess due to tremendous friction exerted by the user. Thus, this Quirk is a dual smokescreen, appearing as an electrical Quirk. The only real issue is how to stop.

 **Status:** [Nervous]

 **Emotions:** Anger. Fear. Disgust

 **Profile:** A member of the Deus Ex Machina faction. She is mostly responsible for their hit and run missions. She is suited to long drawn out battles with a large area to cover.

 _Oh, I see. Her ability to attack at range is directly correlated with her ability to use her super speed. Which is nearly impossible to do on a bus, yes? She can speed up quickly but is incapable of stopping as safely. I'll get what I came for after all._

She raises her right hand and the electricity gathers around her finger tips. No matter how this went down it was going to be nasty encounter. There was no way I was fighting her directly. The electricity arcs violently away from her fingertips, shattering the back window of the bus in the process.

I lean sharply left, the skateboard veering recklessly as the electricity blows up a large section of the tarmac. I look back in surprise at the crater we were rapidly leaving behind. I turn back with a manic glow in my eyes, unwilling to even take a chance of being hit directly by that.

I tighten my grip on the wire attached to the bus and use it to reel myself closer before latching on. At this close proximity she reaches forward in an attempt to grab me. I loosen my left hands grip, dangling from back of the bus and dodging her successfully. She grits her teeth in annoyance and opts to slam her palms down against the metal of the bus in retaliation, now trying to electrocute me through conduction.

I resist the urge to growl in pain as my right glove literally burns away. Not a moment later the electricity courses into my body and the subsequent heat burns my digits. She gives me a ghoulish grin and I can feel my health bar dropping at an alarming rate already. Despite the odds seeming overwhelmingly in her favor I give her a charming smile in response.

* * *

 **[Phantom]**

Tactical camouflage that allows the user to disappear from view completely, even in broad daylight. It works differently depending on the current time of day. During the daytime hours one must remain motionless for ten seconds prior to activation. In addition, it will only remain active for as long as you stay still. During nighttime hours it has no time delay and works even on the move.

* * *

Her sadistic expression disappears just as I seem to vanish from her sight. She releases her hold on the bus in surprise and I breath in a quiet sigh of relief. She pulls a pistol out and looks around cautiously, pointing it out of the shattered window. I notice a folder in her left hand partially distracting her.

"Fuck! You're that damn vigilante, Ghost?!"

"Is that what people are calling me now? I prefer Phantom."

I swing around from the back of the bus and just in front of the open window. My ability automatically cancelled as I moved revealing my position much too late. I reach into the bus faster than she could react and rip the stuffed folder from her grasp. Her eyes widen first in horror at losing her grip on the documents before narrowing in fury.

I release my hold on the bus and push off in the opposite direction. I land in a crouching position on the sidewalk and take off in a dead sprint in the opposite direction. I instinctively stash the manifest safely into my inventory and attempt to reach the crowded streets we had previously passed by. My health was already beginning to rise again.

It was partially wishful thinking, I mused as I feel her fist slam into the small of my back. I could feel my health drop by at least half on just the first blow and resulting collision with a concrete wall dropped it further. I have no choice but to slide down the wall and onto my ass, blood dripping from the corner of my mouth. Another hit and I'd die for sure. But I wondered if she knew that?

She appears before me in a blur, her right index finger sparking with built up static electricity. I lean my head to side, the wall where my head previously was blowing apart in a small explosion. I blink once as she tries to fire off another bolt of electricity, but it looked like the tank was empty. I stand up slowly and she immediately makes to attack me physically again.

I grin as she let her emotions cloud her judgement. I grip the hole in the wall she just created and use it to lift myself above where I previously stood. She collides with the wall using her speed Quirk and unable to stop, even if she had wanted to. The impact causes the already unstable wall to come crashing down, burying her in debris.

I land back down below where she stood in a crouch, staring at the rubble and then at my health bar. This had been frighteningly close, death had literally been standing beside me the entire time. Suddenly another figure lands on the opposite side of street. I quickly adjust my hood as the figure speaks out in a loud voice.

"Alright, hands in the air now! Surrender peacefully."

 _Kamui Woods?_

I stand slowly while remaining where I landed and then raise my hands above my head. The rubble in front of me makes a sound as he continues speaking, I figured that wouldn't kill her. I remain motionless despite his order to turn around and the rubble explodes outward in a shower of sparks. Tempo clamors out, smoke wafting from her person due to overexertion.

Before she even gets a chance to look in my direction [Phantom] activates and I vanish. Despite Kamui Woods being shocked at my disappearance he immediately moves to apprehend the villain Tempo. She takes a reluctant step back and Kamui Woods stretches out both his limps, ready to capture her. His fingers branch off into twenty separate limbs which immediately shoot towards her.

She bites her lip and shoots into the air, hitting the two building in the street to reach the rooftops. I remain completely still and the hero decides to give chase, I breath another deep sigh of relief. My skill deactivates and I start limping back in the direction I had originally come. Everything hurt.

* * *

 **Quest Complete!**

 **Increased hostility with villains + Mysterious Manifest**

* * *

"This shit better have been worth it."

I grumbled almost half-halfheartedly.

* * *

 **Part 3: [Mysterious] Manifest**

 **[A document giving comprehensive details of a ship and its cargo and other contents...]**

* * *

After several blocks my health had finally started to rise again. My major injuries were gone but my clothes were another matter entirely. I would need to craft a new glove. This was a necessity for now, but in the future, I would need to create clothes sturdy enough that could easily survive fights. Losing your clothes in a fight was embarrassing enough on its own.

I could already hear police sirens in the distance, heading back to the scene of the "crime". No doubt they would find nothing of substantial worth other than rudimentary testimony from passengers. No doubt in my mind that _someone_ would be arrested for this disturbance.

The moment I felt I was a safe distance away I quickly duck into a side alley. I retrieve the reward from my inventory and lean up against the brick nearby. To be honest it looked much more like a manuscript for a book rather than a manifest. I shrug and quickly skim through the pages, my eyes darting back and forth rapidly.

It was immediately clear to me that this entire document was a physical encryption. Even my all-seeing eyes could not immediately make sense of it. Even so, it didn't look like a particularly difficult code to decipher, given enough time.

Time was the key word here, those who had pilfered or made copies of these documents were on the run. They had no such time, so to those people it might as well have been gibberish. Which was godsend for someone with a Quirk like mine, whatever treasures were to be found at the end of this trail... I would be the first to claim it. I push off the from the brick wall and rejoin the flow of traffic on the sidewalk.

I continued walking as I read, not caring where I ended up. There were piles upon piles of named items as well as countless dates and times listed. No matter how many times I read through it, its contents remained a mystery to me. If I were to take it at face value, _something_ was going to enter the city soon. Something significant enough to attract the attention of Musutafu cities villains.

I close the manifest and replace all its parts back into the folder. Not a moment later box appears before with a familiar inquiry. It was almost comforting how some things never changed.

* * *

 **Would you like to know the contents of this manifest?**

 **[Yes?] [No?]**

* * *

The moment I tapped the option for yes the manifest began to break down. Becoming something like an energy-based syntax that quickly began to flow into my body. I could learn anything written down word for word and instantly in exchange for the world losing the original document. The knowledge that lost its physical form flows into my mind at an alarming rate. Any evidence connecting me to the bus jacking incident was almost completely gone now.

As I feared nothing about the manifest became any clearer in my mind. There would be no way around this problem without patience and time. I needed to study its contents and put the puzzle pieces together, slowly but surely, one at a time. Until all became clear to me.

* * *

 **Part 4: Molten Fever**

* * *

I only stopped because of the amassing crowd. I approached from the rear, slowly and nonchalantly to blend in with the crowd. A quick scan of the gathered crowd told me all I needed to know about the situation. The barely contained excitement and intent stares. It only confirmed my suspicions about this society. Something I knew without question.

 _The tension was gone._

The **[Hero System]** had become a source of entertainment. Something as serious as life or death was something they were comfortable broadcasting live. At least there was one thing the sheep and I could agree on. It certainly was riveting to watch, truly it was... but especially so for me... because the victor was irrelevant. No matter the outcome I would learn something.

The crowd shifts slightly and I'm finally able to peak through completely to the plasma television ahead. The headline was auspicious enough on its own but the imagery was classic. Grainy enough to portray a bad situation that could be remedied by heroes up to the task. Typical of this rancid society. They could keep telling pretty lies until they were blue in the face.

 **"Reappearance of the Black Golem!"**

The anomaly in question was a seven-meter tall stone humanoid. It was probably too early to call _it_ a villain, was it even human? The onsite coverage included four heroes standing by along with what looked to be a swat team. I tuned into the murmurs of pedestrians that surrounded me on all sides. Well, it was to be expected and the people couldn't be the only ones at fault.

So long as they had their bread and circuses, there would be little complaining. The golem on screen lumbers forward a few more steps and the heroes on the scene maintain their strict minimum distance. The excitement from the crowd was thick enough to be cut but with a knife. Something about this entire situation wasn't sitting right with me however. Police, firefighters and ambulances could be seen appearing on the scene in the background.

There was too little information to be deciphered and the situation was growing tenser by the second. My suspicions are confirmed not even a moment later as the golem tilts its head to the side. The golem displays a surprising burst of speed and almost instantly closes the distance between himself and nearest hero. The hero is lifted into the air in a vice like grip before he has a chance to escape. The excitement immediately dissipates and fear sets in to takes its place. My eyes widen in excitement as the golem brings the hero to its mouth and devours him whole on live television.

 _Well... don't see that every day._

After several long and agonizing seconds there is a loud audible swallowing sound as the golem finishes his meal. The other heroes on scene are locked into place for a few seconds before their training kicks into effect. Seeing death happen so close must have been disturbed them, even a small amount, you just can't help but imagine it was you instead. As a professional hero, that small moment of hesitation could cost you the fight and you'd have only your instincts to blame. The nearest hero, the one closest to the monster, armed with a halberd immediately moves in to engage the monster despite the fear lingering in his eyes.

In the next moment the scene became utter hell, there was no better description. The man doesn't have the time to regret his hesitation, it was over in an instant. The ashen colored golem erupts into molten flames and magma spews in all directions. To call the action before me a battle would be a farce, this was a bloody massacre. A total loss for the heroes, there was no question. The hero doesn't even get into striking distance before bursting into flames. The entire street is engulfed in fire and brimstone in the next instant.

I don't get to enjoy the scene for much longer before the feed is suddenly cut. The crowd who had been all but silent suddenly kicks into a dull roar at the incredulous sight. The only thing that made sense to me then was that broadcasting even part of that scene was a mistake that would be regretted for years to come by the media. An _**auspicious**_ day indeed.

 _Note to self... don't stand in the way of the villain that created that thing. I'm not even sure where to begin on fighting something like that. They could pose a serious problem to me in the future. Perhaps It'd be best to leave it to future me._

* * *

 **Part 5: Croquette Dinner**

 **[I am...]**

* * *

The downpour of rain began two blocks before I could reach home. I hasten my pace considerably with the aid of my Quirk. The bag nestled against my sides flutters as I hustle down the middle of the street. I had already decided, tonight I would relax and unwind from this long day. I would leave tomorrows troubles for tomorrows me to handle. Right at that moment, I really felt like stuffing my face.

I pause as I land in front of the door to my home, even as the rain continues to come down in buckets. Such carefree thoughts had already left me as I faltered outside the doorway. The very edges of my faces slightly slump as I stare at the familiar door before me. It truly wasn't like me to make such a depressed face over something like this. To think something like _that_ would influence my mental state was pathetic. It wasn't something that could be changed with power alone, even I was powerless.

I only lingered in that doorway for several agonizingly long minutes before letting out a long sigh. I reach into my pocket for a familiar key to push into an even more familiar lock, albeit with hesitation. Unlike me though, the simple mechanism responds without a hint of hesitation, the complete opposite of me. The gentle light and wafting heat welcomed me as I passed the threshold of the door. I quickly remove my shoes as I close and lock the front door behind me, the sounds of movement in the kitchen catching my ears.

"I'm home."

The man in the kitchen preparing dinners pauses for a moment as he glances at me standing in the doorway. His dark hair lightly shakes as he smiles warmly, radiating a comforting presence. The cutting knife in his hand waivers for only a moment as he addresses me.

"Welcome home."

I pause only for a moment in the doorway before proceeding into the kitchen, a bag in my hands. By that time, he had already returned to his task, swiftly chopping up vegetables, presumably for dinner. I only take a moment to scan the kitchen and the adjacent dining room, but his presence was the only one to be found here. It wasn't a surprise at all, of course that was to be expected. There would be no one else here.

 _The only people who live here is us after all... I know she won't be coming back. To feel uneasy about me... you aren't necessarily wrong in that line of thinking. But to burden father so because of such personal feelings is unforgivable._

"Has she not returned?"

Father pauses at my blunt question and for just a moment makes a pained expression. It had come and gone so quickly that I almost missed it despite staring intently at him. My eye twitches slightly as I found myself becoming annoyed. He must have noticed my expression of displeasure because he winces. I quickly decide not to push further on this topic, nothing good would come of it after all. Nothing would change.

If it was that simple, then I'd change the subject. I raise my arm and the bag in my hand along with it. Cheerful was difficult, so I decided to be matter-of-fact.

"I brought croquettes."

"That's fine, dinners almost ready. Anything interesting happen out there today?"

He seemed just as eager to change the subject. I pause just as I was about to hang the croquettes on the door to the kitchen. I suppose that in the end, what happened today could certainly be considered the norm as crime rates grew more coordinated and complicated. It was easy to forget that villains and criminals were capable of gaining experience and working together with one another. Such scary thoughts did not perish from my mind.

"Just criminals and villains being themselves is all."

"So, the same as usual?"

I cast my gaze downward at his almost immediate response. It wasn't as though I was immune to such petty things and thoughts. It was pretty hypocritical to speak ill of such people when I acted in my own interests so often at my leisure. But I wasn't like most people, I could admit my hypocrisy and continue with my hedonistic ways. As I always had... as I always would. I know very well what I am after all.

"Yes... the very same."

* * *

 **Notes** ~ As you've probably already noticed, my ability to write dialogue isn't so hot. I'm aware it's not my strong suit. So many depressing topics, I apologize. I'm sure you've already noticed but I really plan to stretch that AU tag until its close to snapping. I'll reiterate myself now, relationships in this AU might be very different than they are in Canon. If this displeases you I apologize again but I won't be changing this story. Also yes, Hisashi will play an important role in this story.


End file.
